Registration ignorance

Enough already!

Do you mean to tell me in the year before a general election a citizen cannot find the time to register to vote?

The upcoming election is continually reported on in the newspaper, on the radio and on TV and people are reminded to register to vote. Stop putting things on the ballot, like Question 1, that have no need to be there.

Louise Mitchell

Eastport

Wary of evangelical candidates

Please carefully observe those presidential candidates who flagrantly ignore the separation of church and state through their steadfast commitment to evangelical religious right and conservative Christian voters.

Recently I have noted that some are stressing the following: We must love Jesus and call upon the “living Christ” with the nation’s problems. The policy of “don’t ask, don’t tell” should not be implemented in the military. Marriage should be just between a man and a woman and homosexuality is a voluntary evil choice. All abortions must be prohibited.

Alternatives to evolution should be taught in public schools. Use tax dollars to fund religious education. Clergy should be allowed to endorse political candidates and parties from the pulpit.

Add an amendment to our Constitution to declare that we are a “Christian” nation. Have more official prayer days to solve our problems. The principle of separation of religion and government does not reflect the views of our Founding Fathers.

Christianity is the one true religion: proselytize. Christian prayers and symbols should be stressed in public schools and other public places.

All these views reflect the belief that the Bible is our sole source of truth, moral values and guidance. This ignores history and the fact that our nation’s greatness and strength resides in the multicultural composition of our people representing many different perspectives on faith and religion. Our next president must respect this broad diversity and always pursue a vigorous separation of church and state.

Richard E. Faust

Surry

Only residents should vote

His support of the Democratic Party position should be of no surprise to Bangor residents. He is a Democrat and he votes the Democratic party line in the state house. Whatever the party position, Rep. Goode supports his party and its liberal agenda.

Mr. Goode is employed by the Maine Peoples Alliance and is among the most progressive Democrats in the Legislature. His employer joined together with nearly every other liberal special interest group in Maine to oppose the two-day inspection period passed by the Legislature. The inspection period is similar to laws in 42 other states in the country.

The question that voters in Maine need to ask themselves is why are these liberal groups spending so much time and money and why are they so concerned about same day voting? I feel the answer is that they believe everyone should vote, regardless of residency, and as many as possible. I would argue instead that only residents of our town and state should be voting. Allowing our election clerks two business days to prepare for the election will guarantee that no one votes twice and only those who are Maine residents will be voting on important local issues.

Kathy Watson

Pittsfield

Praying for Good Shepherd

Are the needy better fed five years after Rick Small took over as CEO of Good Shepherd Food-Bank? Are food pantries better served? Is Good Shepherd Food-Bank better off? Richer maybe, but not better off.

Perhaps Rick Small is better off, but not the food bank nor its mission. The only growth at GSFB is the 465 percent increase in operating expenses and the $1.9 million payroll. Where has the board chair been? Out to lunch?

Things have dramatically changed since JoAnne Pike’s passing. Charles Large led GSFB from being barely able to meet monthly expenses to standing financial sound in less than a year. Salaries were much lower, expenses reduced and more people fed with nutritious food. The food pantries were better served and hungry children better feed.

Mr. Large shepherded GSFB through a very difficult transition like a good shepherd would. However, things have changed again and it may be more difficult for the next leader to clean up this mess.

I knew JoAnne Pike. She was my friend. Current board chairwoman Dianne Dunton Bruni is no JoAnne Pike. Perhaps Bruni’s choice of hiring her brother-in-law was a mistake.

After 12 years as a partner agency manager, eight years as a board member and a close friend of the founder, I believe much more needs to be done to bring GSFB back to what the real vision and mission is — feeding the hungry. I will continue praying to the Good Shepherd for the next leader of the Good Shepherd Food-Bank.

Herschel Hafford

Millinocket

Obama blames others

I’m sick and tired of Democrats whining that the Republicans in the House won’t bring the American Jobs Act up for a vote.

This bill is so bad they cannot even get a Democrat to co-sponsor it.

More than three weeks have passed since President Obama sent the American Jobs Act to Congress, and when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell tried to bring the measure to the floor for a vote he was blocked by Democrat Harry Reid.

Yet all we hear in the media is the president, once again, blaming Republicans for his and his party’s failure. In this case he blames Eric Cantor in the House, despite the fact his own party blocked a vote on his bill in the Senate.

This constant hypocrisy, blaming of others and failed policies has not gone unnoticed by the American people. Obama obviously learned nothing from the midterm elections of 2010. The former seat of Anthony Wiener being won by the GOP for the first time in 80 plus years has also not made a dent.

Eventually Obama and the Democrats will realize the American people no longer accept the “blame others” for the failures of policy of this administration. Here’s hoping it’s in 2012 when Obama is handed a pink slip by the citizens of this “soft” nation.